(11) Dehydrated Vegetables. Vegetables such as onions, white potatoes, sweet
potatoes, peas, peppers, cabbage, and green beans can be dehydrated. Prepare these vegetables
as discussed below. Additional information on the use of dehydrated vegetables is on recipe
cards Q-G-5 and A-11.
(a) Onions. Dehydrated chopped onions can be used in any recipe which
specifies onions, dry or chopped. To use them as raw onions, reconstitute them by adding warm
water and letting them stand for 20 to 30 minutes. For seasoning, dehydrated onions can be
added directly to stews, soups, and sauces without reconstitution. Reconstituted onions can be
added to meat loaves and croquettes. One pound (1-... quarts loose) of dehydrated onions is
equivalent to 8 pounds of prepared onions.
(b) White Potatoes. Dehydrated white potatoes are available in ground, flaked,
diced, and sliced form. The methods for preparing potatoes are as follows:
1 Ground or flaked: To prepare instant potatoes from granules or flakes,
blend potato granules and nonfat dry milk together. Combine boiling water, butter or margarine,
and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to blend. Rapidly add dry mixture to the liquid, and mix on a low
speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add
pepper. Whip on high speed for about two minutes or until the potatoes are light and fluffy.
Serve mashed potatoes hot.
2 Diced or Sliced: Reconstitute dehydrated sliced potatoes by adding them
to salted boiling water. Cover and simmer them for 15 to 25 minutes, until tender. One number
10 can makes 20 servings. They can then be grilled or a sauce added for such items as potatoes
au gratin.
(c) Sweet Potatoes. Reconstitute dehydrated sweet potatoes in hot water with
butter. One number 10 can makes 40 servings.
(d) Peppers. Dehydrated peppers can be used in any recipe calling for sweet
diced peppers or sweet chopped peppers. Dehydrated peppers used in salads or other uncooked
dishes must be soaked in cold water for two to six hours. They can then be used as fresh
peppers. Dehydrated peppers used in soup, stew, or in any other cooked dish containing a large
amount of liquid can be added directly to the other ingredients. They do not need to be soaked
first. When used in a cooked dish that contains only a small amount of liquid, they must be
soaked in cold water for one hour before they are combined with other ingredients. One pound
of dehydrated peppers is equivalent to 6 pounds of fresh, trimmed, sweet peppers. One ounce
(three-fourths cup) of dehydrated peppers, yields 6 ounces (1 2/3 cups) of diced peppers when
reconstituted.
(e) Peas. To reconstitute dehydrated, cooked, compressed peas, place them in a
pan with salt and butter. Add enough boiling water to cover them. Stir the peas to moisten them,
cover the pan, and let them stand for 10 minutes before serving. A number 2-... can yields 25
servings.
QM6321
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